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  • 2026-27 College Football Predictions.

    After what has seemed like a long, long, spring and summer, us college football fans, can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    We are all still in a sense of disbelief, that the historically worst team in college football, the Indiana Hoosiers, won the College Football National Championship.

    While “recruiting battles” and keeping up with the all the coaching changes kept our appetites wet, there is nothing like seeing them clash on the field.

    I could hem and haw about all the new changes in the offseason, but, I’m going to get right to the meat of the matter (go back and read my articles).

    So, without further ado, here are my college football season predictions.

    1) Who will win the ACC, B12, B10 and SEC?

    NIL (name, image, and likeness), has stopped the SEC from cheating (which a lot of former players openly admit now) and has now leveled the playing field. Hence, we have Indiana winning the Natty.

    It makes the conferences deeper than ever before. We no longer just have Alabama and Georgia in the SEC. Ohio State and Michigan and the B10.

    I’ll start with the ACC, and let’s be honest here. It’s the Miami Hurricanes. They avoid the other Top 2 contenders (SMU and Louisville) in the regular season. Unless something catastrophic happens, I expect them to finish conference play undefeated.

    The most fun conference to watch every season, is by far the Big-12. Why you ask? Because they’ve had 5 different conference champions in the last 5 season. You never know who is going to win, and that makes it fun.

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    All the “experts” on ESPN, or as us fans call them, E(SEC)PN, are picking the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win back-to-back conference titles. While it’s possible, it’s certainly NOT a given. They do miss out on having to play BYU, and they do get Houston at home (Sept 18th at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX). They lost a lot of production at quarterback and on defense. Projected QB starter Will Hammond is coming off an ACL, that he suffered in October last year.

    The BYU Cougars and Houston Cougars, are returning their starting QBs, in Bear Bachmeier and Conner Weigman. Both the Cougar teams are returning the majority of their defensive starters from last season as well.

    Ultimately, I think Texas Tech makes it back-to-back, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they don’t.

    It’s an absolute crapshoot in the Big-10. Almost everyone is picking the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, or the Indiana Hoosiers. However, do not count out the USC Trojans.

    They return starting QB Jordan Maiava, HB King Miller, and all five starters along their offensive line. Five players return on defense as well. They schedule did them no favors though. They have Oregon (Sept 28th) and Ohio State (Oct 31st) at home, and travel to Indiana (Nov 14th). Do not be shocked if USC wins 2 of these games and make it to Indianapolis.

    At the end of it all, I think it’ll come down to the Buckeyes and Ducks. I think Ohio State beats Oregon on November 7th in Columbus, but the Ducks clip them in the Big-10 Championship Game, to win conference title.

    Down in the SEC, the most talented team is the Texas Longhorns. They avoid Georgia and Alabama in the regular season. They get Ole Miss at home (Oct 24th) and ARE going to get revenge, and just clobber Florida at home (Oct 17th). They do have to travel to Texas A&M to finish the regular season (Nov 27th). I think if they can avoid injuries, they’ll win the conference.

    However, you can never count out the Georgia Bulldogs, and do not sleep on Mike Elko and Texas A&M. The Aggies return starting QB Marcel Reed. If her can cut down on his 12 INTs, they’ll give Alabama (Oct 24th) and Texas (Nov 27th) a very serious scare.

    2) Notre Dame will finish inside the Top 4.

    Yes, I know that Notre Dame lost their top 2 running backs from last season in Jeremiyah Love (3rd overall pick) and Jadarian Price (32nd overall), but, CJ Carr returning at quarterback, after an impressive freshman season (2,741 yards, with 24 TDs and 6 INTs).

    The Irish went out and got former Ohio State WRs Quincy Porter and Myles Graham in the transfer portal to give him weapons on the perimeter and offset the loss of the running game. Three offensive lineman return, and Notre Dame always has good tight ends.

    They return 7 starters on defense, including quite possibly the best CB tandem in all of college football (Leonard Moore and Christian Gray), and All-American S Tae Johnson. It’s going to be a nightmare throw against them.

    They also used the portal to get better along the defensive line, pairing newcomers DE Keon Keeley (Alabama), DT Francis Brewu (Pitt), and DT Tione Gray (Oregon), with returning starters DE Boubacar Traore and DT Jason Onye.

    They two toughest games are at home, against the Miami Hurricanes (Now 7th) and SMU (Nov 21st). They do travel to play the always sneaky tough BYU (Oct 17th). Other than that, their schedule is easy.

    I fully expect them to be 11-1 or even 12-0 at the end of the season.

    3) Boise State will be the lone Group of 6 school in the College Football Playoffs.

    Last year the College Football Playoff Committee put 2 Group of Five schools in the playoff, and it went absolutely terrible with blowout losses, with Oregon beating James Madison 51-34, and Ole Miss beating Tulane 41-10.

    They’ve learned their lesson. It won’t happen again.

    Boise State is the best team in the newly reformed Pac-12 and all the Group of 6 schools (Pac-12, Mountain West, Conference USA, MAC, American Athletic, and Sun Belt).

    Starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns after throwing for 2,334 yards with 18 TDs and 9 INTs. HB Duke Riley is also returning after turning down multiple offers from P4 teams. He ran for 1,125 yards and 10 TDs. They return 3 starters along the offensive line (C, RG, RT).

    They return 3 of 4 starters on the defensive line, for a defense that finished ranked 39th best overall in the country last season. They are going to rely heavily on them, as the “back 7” only returns 2 starters, in LB Boen Phelps and CB Jaden Mickey.

    The Broncos have an incredibly tough game to open the season, against the Oregon Ducks (Sept 9th, at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS).

    Their toughest conference games, are all at home (Utah State on Oct 3rd, Texas State on Oct 31st, and San Diego State on Nov 21st) as well.

    4) The 1st Head Coach to be fired will be…..

    With all the off the field distractions going on with Head Coach Bill Belichicks’ personal life, now GM Mike Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick have been suspended, with an external investigations ongoing, he’s already on the hot seat.

    They open their schedule against 5 teams that made a bowl game appearance, in their first 6 games.

    I am predicting the Tar Heels only win will be against East Tennessee State (Sept 12th), and he’ll be fired before Oct 24th game at home against Syracuse.

    OC Bobby Petrino will take over and lead them to wins over Syracuse, UConn, and an upset win over Virigina.

    5) Who will make the College Football Playoffs.

    First Round Byes

    Oregon Ducks
    Texas Longhorns
    Miami Hurricanes
    Norte Dame Fighting Irish

    First Round Games

    #12 Boise State at #5 Ohio State.
    #11 Indiana at #6 Texas Tech.
    #10 Ole Miss at #7 Georgia.
    #9 USC at #8 Texas A&M.

    Quarter-final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #4 Notre Dame.
    #9 USC vs #1 Oregon.
    #11 Indiana vs #3 Miami.
    #7 Georgia vs #2 Texas.

    Semi-Final Games

    #5 Ohio State vs #1 Oregon.
    #3 Miami vs #2 Texas.

    National Championship Game

    #5 Ohio State vs #2 Texas.

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    National Champion

    Ohio State wins their 2nd national championship in 3 years, when they go on a similar run, as they did in 2024.

    What are your predictions for the upcoming college football season?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of….. ESPN, NCAA, and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

  • Top 3 Under the Radar, Non-Conference Games, You Need to Watch.

    The college football season is just around the corner.

    We get our gear out and make sure it’s washed, fresh, and ready.

    We plan our holidays and special events, around what time our favorite teams play and when the “big games” are on TV.

    It’s the time of year, where we lose our minds because our team threw an interception or fumbled the football. All the while, our wives sit on the couch thinking…..”I can’t believe I’m married to that man.” LOL.

    So, in honor of this glorious time of year, I’m here to help you get your calendar set and ready.

    Here are 3 “under the radar” non-conference games, you have to watch.

    FYI…..No, Ohio State vs Texas is not on the list, because we all know, it’s the best non-conference game this season.

    UNLV Rebels at Memphis Tigers
    Saturday, August 29th, at 10:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    The winner of this game, COULD end up with the guaranteed college football spot, awarded to the highest ranked G6 school.

    UNLV and head coach Dan Mullen is coming off a 10-4 season and a second-place finish, in his first season at the helm. The Rebels went out and got former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback, Jackson Arnold to come in and lead the offense. Senior running back Jai’den Thomas ran for 1,036 yards with 12 TDs last season. The offense will lean heavily on him, as they lost their top four wide receivers. The defense only returns three starters, and is looking for a lot of players to step up.

    Memphis has a new head coach in Charles Huff (my 3rd favorite hire in the offseason), and he’ll have his work cut out for himself. Starting with choosing a starting quarterback. It’s between former Ohio State and South Carolina backup Air Noland and D2 West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes, who had 30 passing and 10 rushing TDs last season. They only have 1 returning starter on offense. On defense, a lot of players followed Huff from Southern Miss, and they’ll lean on that familiarity.

    Prediction – Give me the Rebels to make a statement that last season wasn’t a fluke, with a big 35-17 win.

    Mississippi State Bulldogs at Minnesota Golden Gophers

    Saturday, September 12th at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

    First, KUDOS to Mississippi State for having the “stones” to actually play a Big Ten school, in Big Ten country. The SEC has historically and still refuse, preferring “neutral site” games.

    Both teams have tough conference schedules, and need to win this game, for a chance at a .500 record and a bowl game at the end of the season.

    The Bulldog offense returns all three interior offensive linemen, and WR Anthony Edwards returns though (67 catches, 831 yards, 4 TDs). Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor played in 11 games, as a true freshman last season (629 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT, with 82 carries, for 458 yards, with 8 TDs). He’s a serious dual-threat problem. On defense, they return 5 starters. The return of DE Will Whitson(injury) and Florida State transfer Amaree Williams should improve the pass rush. The speed and depth in the DB room is vastly improved, and should be a stength.

    The Golden Gophers return their starting QB, HB, LT, LG, and C, so plenty of experience on that side of the ball. Quarterback Drake Lindsay started as a true freshman last season, and finished with 3,382 yards, 18 TDs and 6 INTs. Running back Darius Taylor had 915 total yards last season, and he’ll need to stay healthy, after missing 3 games. On defense, they only gave up 23 points per game, and were good against the run (38th overall). They struggled against the pass (83rd). Returning DB starters John Nestor and Kerry Brown, will have to step up and be prepare to lead an inexperience room.

    Prediction – Gophers Head Coach P.J. Fleck struggles in big games, and this will be no different. I think the Bulldogs come in and get a tough 28-24 win.

    Arkansas Razorbacks at Utah Utes
    Saturday, September 12th, 10:15 PM (EST) on ESPN.

    Utah lost its long time head coach Kyle Whittingham (21 years), and Arkansas got a hot, new head coach. It’s a game of opposites, in this clash of P4 teams, that could possibly be heading in different directions with all the turnover.

    Arkansas finally lured Ryan Silverfield away from Memphis. He brings a high octane offensive mindset. The quarterback position is unsettled, but whether it’s sophomore KJ Jackson or freshman AJ Hill (who followed Silverfield from Memphis), they’ll have some quality depth at wide receiver with former 4-star Chris Marshall, CJ Brown, and Ismael Cisse. On defense, they only return 2 starters (DE Quincey Rhodes Jr and LB Bradley Shaw). They’ll rely heavily on former 4-star transfers, DT Hunter Osborne (Virginia), DT Xadavien Sims (Oregon), and NT Carlon Jones (USC), to fix a run defense that finished 114th against the run last season. The entire secondary is new, so that defensive line, really needs to step up.

    Utah enters a new era with Morgan Scalley at the helm. They’ll have starting quarterback Devon Dampier (2,490 yards passing, 835 yards rushing, 24 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs, and only 5 INTs) returning. The entire offensive line is new, as last season’s OTs Fano (Browns) and Lomu (Patriots) were 1st round picks in the NFL Draft. On defense, Utah is always a tough, hard-nosed defense. They were 17th in PPG allowed (18.9) and passing yards allowed (177.8). Returning starters, LB Johnathan Hall, NB Jackson Bennee, and CB Elijah Davis, will lead with all new starters along the defensive line, and new starters in the defensive back seven.

    Prediction – I think this will be a great, high scoring first half, before Utah pulls away in the second, for a 42-28 win.

    What game this season, do you think is flying under the radar?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of…..ESPN and Lindy’s.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • 2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket is Set.

    A collage of various college sports team logos on a black background, featuring schools from different conferences.

    Conference Championship Weekend is over and done with.

    Congratulations to Indiana (B10), Georgia (SEC), Duke (ACC, yes you read that right), Texas Tech (B12), Tulane (AAC), James Madison (Sun Belt), Kennesaw State (C-USA), Boise State (MWC), and Western Michigan (MAC), for winning their conference titles.

    It’s the main goal of these teams when they start the season, and through hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, they all achieved it.

    On Sunday, the College Football Playoff Committee released their official bracket.

    There is a LOT WRONG with it as well.

    Official College Football Playoff bracket showcasing the matchups and seeded teams for the playoffs.

    First of all, I’m happy that the Dukes and Green Wave won their conferences, but in no way, shape, or form, should they BOTH be in the CFP. Personally, I don’t think ANY of the “G5 schools” deserved to be in the playoffs this season. However, if one team did deserve it, it was James Madison, not Tulane.

    It’s especially hard on JMU as they have to fly all the way across the country (2,806 miles) and play the Oregon Ducks, at Autzen Stadium.

    It’s a bit easier for Tulane, as they only have a 346-mile bus ride up I-55 to play the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford.

    The fact that Notre Dame was left out of the playoffs is a disgrace. They started the season 0-2 with both those loses to CFP teams Miami and Texas A&M, being by a combined 4 points.

    They’ve won 10 straight games, and outside of Indiana, is probably playing the best football of any team in the country.

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    Unlike a lot of my fellow sports writers, I’m 100% OK with Alabama making the CFP.

    I understand they lost to a horrible Florida State team, but that was in Week 1. Their two other losses were to CFP Oklahoma by 2 points, and they did lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game by 21, but remember, they beat the Bulldogs in the regular season matchup. Ranked wins over Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, is a fine resume, and deserving of a spot.

    I wouldn’t have put them at #9 though. That’s too high for a 3 loss team. #11 or #12 would’ve been better.

    Looking at the bracket, there’s some nice campus matchups. The Alabama-Oklahoma rematch is going to be another great game. Remember, that game was in Tuscaloosa and the Sooners went in to get a close 23-21 victory. You KNOW that Boomer Sooner crowd is going to be rocking in Norman for that game.

    The aforementioned Tulane-Ole Miss game is a game to keep an eye on. The Rebels are in the middle of a coaching change, and they’re having a lot of movement with the staff. The fact of the matter is that we do not know how new head coach Pete Golding is going to do, with his first ever game being a playoff game.

    Meanwhile, with Tulane promoting Will Hall to be the head coach, they’re in a much better spot. Hall has been the man in charge before (Southern Miss) and worked at Tulane (19-20) before returning. He understands the culture and has the big game coaching experience.

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    I’m not saying the Green Wave is going to shock the world and beat the Rebels, I’m just saying………………it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

    I’ll make my College Football Playoff Predictions, as well as ALL the Bowl Game predictions in a later article.

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and ESPN.

  • The Best and Worst Coaching Hires in College Football…..So Far.

    A collage of various college football team logos, featuring mascots and symbols from schools such as Michigan, Alabama, LSU, and UCLA.

    This 2025-26 college football season has not only been completely wonky on the field, but also, off the field.

    So many head coaches were fired during the season, that it was hard to keep track of who was coming and going.

    The upheaval of not just the program and players on the teams, but also the families of those assistant coaches.

    This “win now mentality” at programs and with the donors, is actually hurting the programs, not helping.

    These schools like to complain that they’re “operating at a loss”, then they go and fire a head coach, that has a $33 million dollar buyout clause (Michigan State with Jonathan Smith).

    They wonder why a significant number of fans have no loyalty or sympathy anymore, THAT’S WHY!!!

    All that aside, I’m going to tell you which hires were good. Which hires were bad. Which coaches out there, deserve a chance at being a head coach.

    LSU Tigers logo featuring a fierce tiger's head on a purple and gold background.

    LSU has hired Lane Kiffin away from fellow SEC rival Ole Miss. I see a lot of media pundits giving this an A to A+ grade. I DON’T SEE IT.

    While I don’t think this move is as bad as the Brian Kelly hire (which I despised from the nanosecond it was announced), for what LSU wants to do, it isn’t all that much better either.

    Kiffin has a career record of 13-25 against Top 25 teams.

    He’s going to give the Tigers much more credibility in the south with recruits again, and the offense will be better.

    This is a simple B hire.

    Virginia Tech logo in maroon and orange against a smoky black background.

    Virginia Tech went out and hired former Penn State head coach James Franklin.

    The Hokies have been mostly irrelevant since Frank Beamer retired.

    This is an A hire.

    Franklin is a program builder. He did it at Vanderbilt, which had been a joke for basically a half century, and turned them into a consistent winner and to bowl eligibility. He took over a Penn State program that was dead in the water after the sex abuse scandal and took them to the College Football National Championship Semi-Finals, just last season.

    He knows the Eastern Midwest and Mid-Atlantic recruiting scene very well. We’ve already seen recruits that decommitted from Penn State, follow and announce their intentions to play for the Hokies next season.

    I’m not saying he’s going to bring a Natty to Blacksburg, but Virginia Tech will be an ACC power player as early as next season, and beyond.

    GREAT MOVE by VT.

    UCLA Bruins logo featuring a bear mascot holding a football, with a blurred football crowd in the background.

    UCLA has hired Bob Chesney away from James Madison, to be their next head coach.

    From all accounts, and from JMU fans that I’ve spoken to, he’s a good guy.

    Chesney is known for being a “turnaround artist”. He turned around programs such as Salve Regina (D3), Assumption University (D2), and Holy Cross (FCS), before going 20-5 at JMU.

    He has a long history of coaching at programs that have rigourous academic standards.

    The biggest problem is that he has 0 recruiting ties to the west coast, and doesn’t have the name recognition, that will keep players. The Bruins don’t have the cache to recruit nationwide, so keeping California kids’ home is paramount to their success.

    I’m rooting for the guy, and hope he brings glory back to the gold and blue, but right now, this is a D hire.

    A football coach at Indiana University, wearing a black sweatshirt with 'Indiana Football' printed on it and a red cap, gestures while on the field.

    If you’ve been following me on Twitter/X (JoeAmerican6771); I’ve been SCREAMING this guy’s name.

    Bryant Haines.

    He’s the current defensive coordinator for the Indiana Hoosiers and had the same role at James Madison. He followed Curt Cignetti from the Dukes to the Hoosiers.

    Yes, he’s an assistant coach.

    Yes, he doesn’t have head coaching experience.

    He’s had staggering success at JMU and Indiana, where he turned poor defenses into top ranked defenses.

    I STRONGLY believe that the aforementioned James Madison, should bring him back home, and make him their new head coach.

    They’ve seen him succeed not just on the field, but off the field in recruiting the Carolinas’ and VA/DC area. Which is vital to a program like JMU, because they don’t have a nationwide network.

    I think whichever team gets him, is going to get a gem.

    Stanford University logo featuring a red background with a green tree inside a white 'S'.

    The worst hire so far of this cycle, is the Stanford Cardinal hiring Tavita Pritchard as their next head coach.

    Yes, I understand that he played QB there.

    Yes, I understand that like Chesney above, he gets the difficulty of an academic power.

    The truth, and fact of the matter is that he was never going to get a head coaching gig other than Stanford. This was Cardinal GM Andrew Luck keeping this cheap and in house.

    To me, this is a F.

    BYU logo featuring a mountain lion with the letters 'BYU' below it, set against a navy blue background.

    Head coach Kalani Sitake will remain at BYU, after agreeing to a long-term extension on Tuesday.

    He had very heavy interest from the Penn State to make him their next head coach.

    Since taking over as the head coach of the Cougars in 2016, he has an 83-44 overall record at BYU.

    He has previous coaching stops at Oregon State, Utah, Southern Utah, and Eastern Arizona.

    All these stops in the Mountain and Western time zones, has allowed him to build a very solid recruiting base and pipeline.

    This is a solid A move by BYU.

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    Question – With Penn State getting rebuffed, who do you think the Nittany Lions will end up hiring as their next head coach?

    – by Sean McKenzie

    Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave and SI.

  • Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 13.

    A collage of various college football team logos displayed in circular designs against a black background.

    As the college football regular season starts to wind down, the conference title and college football pictures are starting to clear up a bit.

    But don’t start counting your chickens quite yet.

    There’s a reason that the games are played on the field, and not on paper.

    Ignore games like #10 Alabama playing Eastern Illinois, and #3 Texas A&M playing Samford.

    So, without further ado, here are the 3 must watch games.

    1) #15 USC Trojans (8-2) at #7 Oregon Ducks (9-1).
    Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

    The logos of the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks displayed side by side on a split background.

    PERSONALLY, I think the Ducks are overrated. Here is the chance to prove not just me, but a lot of voters wrong.

    The Trojans want to finally be taken seriously, not just in the Big Ten, but nationally. Here’s their chance to really make a statement.

    All the talk is about the quarterbacks of these two teams. Dante Moore (Oregon) and Jayden Maiava (USC), and they both deserve their flowers, BUT, this game is going to come down to the trenches and run game.

    USC has a nice tandem of backs in the King Miller and Waymond Jordan. Oregon answers with Noah Whittington, Jordan Davison, and Dierre Hill Jr.

    The Ducks defense have 7 less sacks (24-17) and force less turnovers than the Trojans, which is hasn’t been the case in recent years.

    The game is at Autzen Stadium, and that plays a big part as well.

    Prediction – I so badly want to pick USC, but even Ohio State couldn’t beat Oregon at home. Give me the Ducks to win a very close game, 38-35.

    2) BYU Cougars (9-1) at Cincinnati Bearcats (7-3).
    Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.

    Logo split between BYU Cougars and Cincinnati Bearcats, with BYU's blue and white logo on the left and Cincinnati's black and red bear paw logo on the right.

    The Bearcats are coming off of back-to-back losses.

    The Cougars MUST win this game to stay in the Big-12 conference title hunt.

    Bearcats QB Brendan Sorsby wasn’t happy with his performance last week (15-28, 154 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs), and told me himself, that he’s out to prove a point. For the season, he’s thrown for 2,218 yards, with 22 TDs to only 4 INTs. He also has 483 yards and 9 TDs on the ground.

    The Cougars want to run the football, then hit you over the top on play action. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has 2,177 yards with 13 TDs to only 4 INTs, but like Sorsby, his legs will keep any play alive, with 479 yards and 10 TDs.

    Prediction – This is a hard game to pick. West coast teams struggle coming east, especially in “primetime games”. That said, the Cougars defense will step up. BYU gets the 28-21 win.

    3) Louisville Cardinals (7-3) at SMU Mustangs (7-3).
    Game starts at 12:00 (Noon) on ESPN2.

    Logos of Louisville Cardinals and SMU Mustangs on a blue background.

    Louisville is coming off back-to-back losses, after cracking the Top 25. Both losses were by a combined 4 points though.

    The Cardinals live and die with QB Miller Moss, even more so after the injury to starting HB Isaac Brown. He HAS to stop turning the ball over (11 TDs and 7 INTs). He has 2,344 yards passing, but he’s made bad decisions in these losses.

    SMU only has 1 conference loss, and can make the ACC Championship Game for the second straight season.

    The Mustangs have one of the most fun QB’s to watch, in Kevin Jennings. He’s thrown for 2,810 yards, with 21 TDs and 9 INTs. They have a great defense, that gets pressure on the opposing QB (33 teams sacks) and forces turnovers (16 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries).

    Prediction – Somehow, someway, the Cardinals have been keeping the games close. Not gonna happen this week. Give me the Mustangs to win in a blowout 35-17.

    – by Sean McKenzie.

    Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

    Photos courtesy of…..wallpapercave, ESPN, and MSN.

  • College Football Week 9 Recap and Helmet Stickers.

    A collage of various college sports team logos displayed on a black background.

    I’d be remiss if I didn’t start this article, without mentioning that LSU fired head football coach Brian Kelly, late Sunday night, after their 49-25 loss at home, to #3 Texas A&M. Kelly had a 34-14 record over his four seasons at LSU.


    Personal opinion – It was a bad hire from the start. I said so at the time, and caught a lot of crap for it. I think that LSU thinks it’s a better job than it really is. IF I were Interim President Matt Lee, I would immediately go get Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield.

    Onto other business, it was a solid week of college football. We had 3 Top 25 upsets.

    Aforementioned Memphis Tigers defeated #18 USF 34-31, in a banger of a game. The Washington Huskies beat #23 Illinois, 42-25, and the Houston Cougars defeated #24 Arizona State 24-16, in one of the worst officiated games, that I’ve even seen. Absolutely disgraceful by that Big-12 crew.

    We had some close calls, as well. #4 Alabama squeaked by South Carolina 29-22. #6 Oregon eked out a 21-7 win over Wisconsin. #16 Virginia survived a scare from North Carolina, 17-16 in OT, and #22 Texas held off Mississippi State 45-38 in overtime.

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    Indiana, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Miami, Vanderbilt, BYU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Michigan, all held serve as Top 25 teams and got the win.

    Time for your favorite part, it’s Helmet Sticker time. I thank you readers for the messages, telling me that you like this segment.

    (Team) North Dakota State Bison.

    North Dakota State University football helmet logo with a green and gold design, set against a stadium backdrop.

    The defending FCS National Champions and #1 ranked Bison, absolutely MOLLYWHOPPED their rival (then ranked #2) South Dakota State Jackrabbits 38-7 on Saturday. HB Cole Payton had 4 rushing touchdowns.

    (Offense) Drew Mestemaker, QB, North Texas Mean Green.

    A football player wearing a North Texas Mean Green jersey adjusts his helmet on the field during a game.

    This was the easiest choice so far this season.

    The freshman QB went 37 of 49, for a massive 608 yards, and 4 TDs, as he led the Mean Green to a 54-20 win over Charlotte. North Texas is 7-1 on the season, and still in the hunt, for that G5 college football playoff spot.

    (Defense) Cade Uluave, LB, California Golden Bears.

    A California Golden Bears linebacker celebrates a play on the field, wearing a dark blue jersey with the number 0, with teammates visible in the background.

    Cal is #0.

    The junior linebacker was all over the field, and causing havoc, as he did everything, he could in a double overtime loss to Virginia Tech.

    Cal finished the game 19 total tackles and 2 sacks.

    Who would you give a helmet sticker to?

    – by Sean McKenzie

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    Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, meangreensports, and SI.

  • Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 9.

    A collage of various college sports team logos displayed on a black background.

    It’s been an exciting start to Week 9 already, as 2 games have gone into overtime and exciting finishes.

    Western Kentucky beat Louisiana Tech 28-27, and Missouri State beat New Mexico State 24-17.

    Some sad news, as the Auburn Tigers have lost starting center Conner Lew for the season with a torn ACL. Lew is going to be a Day 1 starting center in the NFL next season. Good luck to him, as we all wish him a speedy and full recovery.

    That news actually bumped their game with Arkansas off my list. It’s still one of the more under-rated game and isn’t being talked about enough, IMO.

    I went 2-2 in my picks last week.

    I am 12-7 for the season.

    So, without further ado, HERE are the Top 3 games you should watch (in no particular order).

    1) #18 South Florida Bulls (6-1) at Memphis Tigers (6-1).
    Game starts at 12:00 PM (Noon) (EST) on ESPN2.

    Logo of South Florida Bulls and Memphis Tigers with a football field background.

    That’s right. One of the best games this week, is from the AAC (American Athletic Conference). The Bulls are ranked and in the driver’s seat for the G5 spot in the college football playoffs. Memphis is coming off an absolutely embarrassing loss to UAB last week. Both teams are highly motivated.

    The USF Bulls are simply put, “The Byrum Brown Show”. They go as he goes. He’s thrown for 1,695 yards, with 16 TDs and 5 INTs. He’s added 99 carries, for 475 yards, with 6 TDs. He leads the team in passing and rushing. On defense, they’re led by LB Mac Harris. He’s 2nd on the team in tackles (56) and 1st in sacks (5.5). He’s also has 3 forced fumbles and an INT.

    Memphis has a dual-threat QB of their own. Brendon Lewis has thrown for 1,337 yards, with 8 TDs and 4 INTs. He’s added 86 carries, for 440 yards, with 7 TDs. I know, it’s weird seeing Memphis not have gaudy passing yards, but this is a running team. HBs Sutton Smith and Greg Desrosiers Jr have a combined 869 yards rushing, and 11 TDs between them. The defense forces mistakes and turnovers, as they have 10 INTs, 7 forced fumbles, and 4 fumble recoveries.

    Prediction – The loss to UAB will have the Tigers playing of their toes. USF is battle tested. I’m going to go with the better quarterback. Give me the USF Bulls to win 35-31.

    2) Houston Cougars (6-1) at #24 Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2).
    Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on ESPN2.

    Logo of the Houston Cougars on the left and the Arizona State Sun Devils on the right, with a split background.

    The winner of this game could end up tied for 2nd place in the Big-12 or in 2nd all alone. While it was expected that ASU would be competing for the conference title again, nobody saw the Cougars being here, at this point in the season.

    Cougars transfer QB Conner Weigman has managed to stay healthy this season. He’s thrown for 1,380 yards, with 11 TDs to only 2 INTs. They balance it out with HB Dean Connors. He has 115 carries, for 538 yards, and 4 TDs. It’s a feisty defense that has 17 team sacks, 6 INTs, and 11 forced fumbles.

    The talk of the Sun Devils offense is about the Leavitt-Tyson connection. QB Sam Leavitt has thrown for 1,358 yards, with 9 TDs and 3 INTs. WR Jordyn Tyson has 57 catches, for 628 yards, and 8 TDs. What’s not talked about is HB Raleek Brown, and the balance he brings. 110 carries, for 642 yards, with 3 TDs. The defense has 21 team sacks, with 14 coming from the defensive line. They get to the QB quick and often.

    Prediction – It’s been fun watching the Cougars go on this run. I think they simply run into a better team on Saturday. Give me the Sun Devils to win 27-21.

    3) #15 Missouri Tigers (6-1) at #10 Vanderbilt Commodores (6-1).
    Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN.

    Graphic featuring the logos of the Missouri Tigers and Vanderbilt Commodores, set against a background of football imagery.

    It’s been a wonderful season for both teams so far, but somebody’s run is about to end here. The loser of this game is officially out of the SEC conference title picture.

    Yes, QB Beau Pribula has thrown for 1,617 yards, however, he has 7 INTs to his 11 TDs. This is a running, ball control offense. HB Ahmad Hardy has 139 carries, for 840 yards (3rd in the nation), with 11 TDs (2nd in the nation). DE’s Damon Wilson and Zion Young, have a combined 10.5 sacks, and get pressure off the edges.

    Vanderbilt is led by QB Diego Pavia (my Heisman Trophy frontrunner). He’s thrown for 1,569 yards, with 15 TDs to 4 INTs. He also has 77 carries, for 438 yards, with 4 TDs. He’s the heart and soul of this team. This is a gap sound defense, that gets pressure from multiple positions, as they have 20 teams sacks.

    Prediction – I think this is going to be a close football game. Somehow, someway, I believe Pavia will make just enough plays to give the Commodores the win. I’m taking Vandy 24-21.

    – by Sean McKenzie.

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    Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, nytimes, and ESPN.

  • The Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 7.

    A collage of college football team logos, featuring various mascots and symbols representing teams from across the United States.

    What a slate of college football games there is to choose from here in Week 7.

    The week started last night, with Missouri State beating Middle Tennessee State 22-20, and Liberty beating UTEP 19-8.

    We have big time ranked matchups in the Big Ten and SEC.

    We have the annual Red River Shootout (I refuse to call it Red River Rivalry, PC can kiss my butt), between #6 Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) taking on the Texas Longhorns (3-2) at 3:30 PM on ABC. As history has shown, records mean nothing in this heated rivalry.

    With so many games to choose from, here are the Top 3 games, that you SHOULD watch this weekend.

    I am 10-5 in my predictions so far this season.

    1) #7 Indiana Hoosiers (5-0) at #3 Oregon Ducks (5-0).
    Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on CBS.

    Split image featuring the Indiana University Hoosiers logo on the left in crimson and the University of Oregon Ducks logo on the right in yellow against a green background.

    Yes, the Indiana Hoosiers are not just highly ranked, they’re a good FOOTBALL team. For those of us who are older, it’s been a long time since we could say that, and let’s be honest….it does feel good.

    Curt Cignetti has come in and turned this program around. The Hoosiers are led by QB Fernando Mendoza, who’s completing 73% of his throws, for 1,208 yards with 16 TDs, to only 1 INT. He hasn’t made many mistakes, and goes through his progressions well. On defense, they get pressure off the line and are fairly gap sound. With 16 team sacks, they’ve forced 7 INTs this year.

    Oregon head coach Dan Lanning continues to chug along and win ball games. The Ducks are led by QB Dante Moore. He’s completing 74.6% of his passes, for 1,210 yards, with 14 TDs to only 1 INT. He’s shown great poise and decision making as only a sophomore. This is a fast and fundamentally sound defense. They stay in their lanes don’t give up many YACs in the run or pass.

    Prediction – We’re going to find out if Indiana is “for real – real”. I think they’re going to hang tough, but it’s hard for opponents to win in Autzen Stadium. Give me the Ducks to pull away late and win 42- 31.

    2) #15 Michigan Wolverines (4-1) at USC Trojans (4-1).
    Game starts at 7:30 PM (EST) on NBC.

    Logo of the University of Michigan (M) on a navy blue background overlaid with the logo of the University of Southern California (SC) on a cardinal red background.

    This game isn’t getting talked about enough, by the “national pundits” This is a MUST WIN for the Trojans, after a tough road loss last week, and next week’s game is a very tough game.

    The hype around Michigan freshman QB Bryce Underwood was extremely high. His performance on the field, thus far, has been extremely disappointing. The REAL leader of this offense is HB Justice Haynes. He has 85 carries, for 654 yards, with 8 TDs. He’s averaging 7.7 yards per carry. It’s a Wink Martindale defense, which means pressure and forcing turnovers. With 15 team sacks and 7 INTs, it’s the same old, same old. Fast, tough, and sound. I love defenses like this.

    USC QB Jordan Maiava has come in and done better than almost everyone thought he would. He’s completing 70.5% of his passes, for 1,587 yards, with 11 TDs to only 1 INT. HB Waymond Jordan takes the pressure off with his ability vision and ability to hit the hole FAST. He has 537 yards, on 77 carries, with 5 TDs, and averaging 7.0 yards per carry. The defense has been MUCH improved. They have 17 team sacks, 6 INTs, and have forced 6 fumbles. Senior LB Eric Gentry is the guy to watch, as he has 30 tackles, 3 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles.

    Prediction – As stated above, this is a must win for USC. It’s a home game, sandwiched between two tough road games. I’M CALLING THE UPSET HERE!!! The Trojans get it done in a close game 28-24.

    3) #24 University of South Florida Bulls (4-1) at University of North Texas Mean Green (5-0).
    Game is Friday Night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on ESPN 2.

    Logos of the University of South Florida Bulls and the University of North Texas Mean Green, set against a backdrop of football-related images.

    The winner of this of this big time American Athletic Conference game, could very well end up getting the “G5 at large” spot in the College Football Playoffs.

    The South Florida Bulls are battle tested, with wins over Boise State and Florida. They’re lone loss is to MY #1 team in the country, Miami Hurricanes. They’re led by dual-threat QB Byrum Brown. He’s thrown for 1,194 yards, with 10 TDs to 4 INTs. He’s also ran for 282 yards, on 64 carries, with 3 TDs. LB Mac Harris has been incredible so far this season. He has 42 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 INT.

    Freshman QB Drew Mestemaker has come in and shown great poise and decision making, so young. He’s thrown for 1,247 yards, with 11 TDs and 0 INTs. The Mean Green LBs are just dominate. Thier starting 3 have 119 of the 359 team tackles (33%). They also have 3 of the teams 6 INTs. The DL holds up well, so that these guys can fly all over and make plays.

    Prediction – The Mean Green defense is for real. The Bulls are for real. It’s going to be a great, close, low scoring game. The big game experience that South Florida has this season, will be the difference. I’m taking the Bulls to win 24-17.

    – by Sean McKenzie

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    Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, CBSSports, ESPN, and NYTimes.

    Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.